Boo to You!

Had a quiet Halloween -- this is me on the step scaring people.  The Charger game was on, and I was listening to it in the background.  It was very scary!  We lost in overtime.  So many mistakes in that game... even the cats can't watch, they prefer to check out the treaters.  We had about 80 treaters and gave out our usual full size candy bars -- Hershey's, Resees, and Kit-Kats.  Yum!

Ally was a three hole punch.  I don't know where she gets her crazy from!

Amy got her license back.  She hasn't driven in six months.  Finally she can drive herself to school and meetings.  Which means less running around for me.  Yes!

Here's the senior page I made for Ally to go in her yearbook.  The parents of seniors can submit one (for a fee, of course!).  Wow, she will graduate in about seven months.

Long Live The Claw!

Finally got the pin out of my finger.  It hurt when they pulled it out, contrary to what others had been telling me!  I can barely bend the finger at all, and it is shriveled and useless.  I go back in four weeks to see how much of a droop it will have and see how the movement is coming.

No wonder it hurt!

I took The Claw and rebandaged it... thinking about making a tree ornament out of it.

The surgeon said I can play volleyball right away as long as I splint it.  I was so happy at first, but now I am thinking how in the world can I hit a ball with that finger.  I am thinking I will stick to serves and bumps for awhile.  I am grateful to finally have it off -- I can get it wet starting tomorrow and hopefully my little movement exercises will start helping.  That finger still stands straight up while typing and driving!  Good thing it's the pointer finger!

Got the Odyssey back with a new transmission.  So nice, I can't even hear or feel the car shifting gears.  Also got the Civic back from repairs from when the girls got backed into.  I'm sick of dealing with cars and doctors...

We are in full swing with college paperwork and scholarship applications for Ally.  Such an ordeal -- and all of this is just for one college.

Ally and I are off to get massages today -- using my Massage Envy membership.  Mine is "free" (with monthly dues), and additional ones are $50.  Just don't touch the claw finger!

'Lopes Up!

We drove to Phoenix last week to visit Grand Canyon University where Ally is planning on getting her nursing education for nurse practitioner.  It is a small, Christian college near downtown Phoenix.  Ally spent one night in the dorms.  We made fun of their mascot which is an antelope.  The mascot is named Thunder, and you give the 'Lopes Up sign to show your spirit (see photo)...

We lost third gear coming back into San Diego.  Didn't know what was going on at the time, but barely made made it over the mountains.  The van is getting a new transmission... $3,400 -- the  most we have ever paid for a car repair.  However, I will say we have had the van for almost six years and never had to repair anything, besides the normal wear and tear.  And it was two years old when we got it.  Since it's a Honda, our mechanic says we should get at least another two hundred thousand miles on the engine.  And well, I don't want any car payments, so we did it.

I had problems downloading the new operating system from Apple onto my iPad, so I was without it for two days.  I almost died of withdrawal.  Got it working again yesterday and almost took it to bed with me, I was so happy to have it working again.

The pin is coming out of the claw in seven days!  It will have been six weeks, and I can't wait!

I need to get out my fall decorations... lagging behind -- as I seem to be doing in all areas of my life right now.